Families are more likely to save if they can commit to savings before funds are in-hand (and subject to spending temptations). For low- and moderate-income U.S. families, an important savings opportunity arises annually, during income tax season. We study a group of low-income individuals in...

This article examines the relationship between income and saving performance in Individual Development Accounts (IDAs). The authors first discuss theories of saving. Next, for IDA participants in the American Dream Demonstration (ADD), they look at income sources and distribution, followed by...

In this paper, we analyze the spending decisions of over 1.5 million Americans who vary in their degree of revealed credit constraints. Specifically, we analyze how these Americans spend their income tax refunds, using transaction-level data from a stored-value card product. Card-holders may...